Life is an exercise in risk management. Some activities entail higher risk than others. There is no evidence this was a suicide. It was a tragic accident that likely occurred due to negligent oversight, or perhaps an "Act of God" -- for insurance purposes, of course.

I remember, in elementary school, the D.A.R.E. speaker scared us away from drinking by telling a story about a set of kids that tried to bungee jump while drunk, with one friend splattering like a watermelon. He actually used that analogy.

No need for new rope management laws - just enforce the existing laws which prohibit defacement of a national park (or monument). I couldn't see where this thing was anchored, but if it was hammered in or drilled in, that is a crime in my book. Next, these assholes need to be assessed the full cost of the emergency response that was mounted when these stupid fucks called in frantically for help.

Actually, even if you do everything exactly right you will die anyway. Deal with it.

This is a pretty simple thing to get right: start in the right place with the right length of rope well secured at both ends, and you will survive every time.

Compare that to the complexity and lack of control you accept in driving to work, and you may just stay home. Your body will be accelerated to many times the speed of these swingers, and then we throw a bunch of 80,000 lbs trucks at you head on at 60 mph, flying by just a couple feet away, just to make it fun, and we let hundreds of strangers of unknown capacity fly by reliving their fight over the credit card with the spouse last night.

But earlier this year Utah state officials outlawed the activity, largely because of the danger posed — and a forthcoming land exchange between the state's School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA) and the federal Bureau of Land Management.

The arch has nevertheless remained open for private parties wishing to climb or swing.

"If people want to huck themselves off a cliff or arch, that’s their business," John Andrews, SITLA’s general counsel, told the Tribune in February. "There is a general principle that owners who hold their land open for recreational use are insulated from liability. We felt there was more risk [exposure to the state] if someone operated under a permit and someone got hurt."

In other words, the government steps away from participation in order to insulate itself from liability, thus increasing the chances that someone will be hurt by removing competent outfitters.

A journalist once asked Tazio Nuvolari if he was afraid to get into his race car.Nuvolari told the guy, "Most people die in bed. Are you afraid to get into your bed?The funny thing is, Nuvolari eventually did die in bed.Some folks just can't stand the idea of dying in bed.This makes the Bloombergs nervousLife isn't safe-wear a helmet!

This looks like a lot of fun. I don't think it as dangerous as some pastimes, such as marrying a lawyer.Marrying a lawyer is like a hurricane.It starts out wild and wet and when it is over, your house is gone.

There is always one in the group that just has to add a little extra rope to get closer to the rocks. Or they forget to factor in a little more stretch because the next guy is 30 lbs heavier. I feel sorry for the family but not the ones in the group as those in the group participated.

What people perceive as stupidly dangerous has little to do with with it's danger and a lot to do with whether or not they have done it. Do something "dangerous" and get away with it and it's a whole new world out there.

Something I'm a little ashamed of is that I have never broken any bones. I did get a broken nose in my twenties while drunk and hitting on some guy's girl in a bar, but I was completely sloshed, so it doesn't count. I know I was really drunk because I never approach women otherwise. They are far too dangerous.